Browse the Internet... on your Xbox 360

Posted Feb 9th 2006 1:45PM by James Ransom-Wiley

Anthony Park has designed a nifty Windows XP Media Center plugin that allows users to surf the Internet on Media Center Extender devices (i.e. the Xbox 360) with a Media Center remote.

The plugin does not support text entry, so users must first compile a list of favorites—Joystiq.com, for example—on the PC and drop them into the appropriate folder. However, the MCE Browser does allow users to highlight and navigate to new links. So, you open Joystiq.com and from there you can jump over to Xbox360Fanboy.com, for example. And finally, for those of you browsing from a distance, the program features zoom viewing.

Download MCE Browser

21 February 2006

Introducing the Xbox 360 Camera

Alex McLain, over at the official Xbox 360 site, had a chance to sit down with Kumar Banerjee, the man behind the Xbox 360s wireless adapter and upcoming video camera.

McLain came away from the meeting with a much better idea of the devices capabilities and some of the cool things gamers will be able to do with it. The two features he mentions are video chat and gesture gaming.

Video chat will incorporate a special microphone that plugs into the controller and will allow for group video and voice chats.

More interesting is Gesture Gaming which will use the camera to let you interact directly with games. Yes, it sounds like a direct knock-off of the Eye Toy, but it’s still neat to think a similar technology is coming to the Xbox 360.

In-Camera Video Processing
The camera itself is capable of not only receiving the information, but also processing it. It’s no mean feat in something so small, and it allows the console to run unfettered, as the image processing doesn’t suck up all its bandwidth.

Thirty Frames per Second
The camera is capable of capturing 30 frames per second. If you need a standard for comparison, think about this: Television is displayed at 30 frames per second, most video games are displayed at 30 frames per second (though developers are striving to make 60 the norm), and film is captured and displayed at 27 frames per second.

Stills
Like any good video camera, the camera is also capable of taking still images (with 1.3 megapixels of memory) as well. Your faces can be imported into games or accompany your name on leader boards for even more recognition and fame.

Low Light Performance
We gamers love playing in the dark—most gaming environments have very low illumination, and the camera is designed specifically with that in mind.

Amtech Research analyst predicts 10-12 million Xbox 360 sales by year end

Paul Loughrey 14:55 28/02/2006

Negative impact on third party software sales no longer a concern?

Senior analyst P.J. McNealy of American Technology Research has stated that Microsoft's much publicised component shortages for the Xbox 360 are over, suggesting that the company is back on track to sell 10-12 million units worldwide by year-end.

According to McNealy's report, Microsoft is likely to shift 6 million consoles by June this year. The mid-year forecast eclipses Peter Moore's comments at the recent CES show in Las Vegas, in which the Xbox boss lowered initial sales estimates and offered a more conservative goal of 4 to5.5 million units by June.

Third party publishers, the majority of which have cited Xbox 360 supply issues as a contributory factor in lower than expected financial results, are likely to see a swift return to normality in McNealy's opinion. The analyst expects significant improvements in the quarter results.

The report included a survey of current Xbox 360 stock levels in 125 retailers which appears to somewhat contradict McNealy's optimistic forecast, revealing just 26 stores having units in stock - and all but five of those only having the Core system (minus hard drive and wireless accessories) available. Supply in the stores with units available was also extremely low, with most retailers holding a maximum of 3 units each.

UK supplies have definitely improved in recent weeks - a GameStation representative told GamesIndustry.biz that regular deliveries of both Core and Premium units are now beginning to materialise, and pre-launch orders are now all but fulfilled in the majority of stores UK-wide. That said, sales are going to have to spike pretty quickly if the Amtech estimates are to be achieved by June.

McNealy also offered some opinion on the availability of launch information for Sony's PS3, suggesting that this week's PlayStation Destination event could put an end to the intense rumour and speculation that has surrounded the industry for months.

"We expect Sony to give some directional information on the PS3 about launch plans and pricing, but we believe it is more likely that Sony will keep its commentary to a high level about the PS3 rather than specifics." the report stated. It is also suggested that more information could be provided at Sony's Blu-Ray address in California.

Next Halo Hits March 2007 Microsoft plans for wide-open spring 2007 launch. by Douglass C. Perry March 30, 2006 - The next Halo is coming in March 2007. According to a Microsoft source who asked to remain anonymous and a second source close to the company, IGN today learned that Microsoft will publish the next Halo game (as predicted in January) in March 2007. When phoned, Microsoft declined to comment. While the holiday season remains the most important set of months to publish a game, the first calendar quarter of the year is proving to be bigger and more prominent in sales. Microsoft intends to innovate, challenge traditions, and to use its own "playbook" (as Microsoft's J Allard has said time and again), and slotting Halo 3 (or Halo Forerunners, or whatever April Fool's gag you choose) in March 2007 is likely to shift consumers' priorities. That anticipation will overlap with the first few months of Sony's and Nintendo's launches, cutting into their building stages, and shifting eyes toward and opening wallets for Xbox 360. By theoretically shifting Halo to next spring, Microsoft thus allows third-party companies a better chance to shine independently of Bungie's uber shooter during the fall 2006 season. One must wonder, however, why the game wouldn't come out simultaneously with the movie, due in summer 2007. But if Halo 3's alleged March release date is officially confirmed, perhaps the game will leave questions for the movie to answer. Expect more Halo 3 news at E3, where believe Bungie's game will premiere in video form.

Paramount sticks HD movies on Xbox

Feel the quality

By Nick Farrell: Monday 17 April 2006, 15:45

MAKER OF talking motion pictures, Paramount, is to release high-definition previews for Xbox 360 users.

The previews for upcoming flicks "Mission: Impossible III" and "Nacho Libre" are part of any experiment that the studio is running with Vole.

The studios see that sooner or later they are going to have to embrace the online generation and are doing so with the enthusaism of someone told to cuddle some poorly Thai chickens. However it does follow similar tentative moves by Epic Records which recently announced it would offer free music-video downloads from emerging artists on Xbox 360.

It also gives Paramount a chance to show game console users what high-definition video and surround sound can be like and hopefully spin off a few sales in that direction too.

More in the Buffalo News, here, although we are not certain how many buffaloes have Xbox 360s. µ